Velociraptor
by upncomer
Summary: An attack on Brennan in the middle of a public park likens Booth to a certain dinosaur.


_AN: Okay so this started out as a challenge to me from K. Elisabeth. I asked for words starting with the letter V, and one that she threw out there was velociraptor. She said she'd be really impressed if I could come up with a story using that word. Well I started on it, but it ended up becoming a piece that both of us worked on instead of just me. The lines that are italicized below are from 'Jurassic Park', and were used to set the scene of this piece. I hope you enjoy it, and please let us know what you thought of our little shared venture._

_Try to imagine yourself in the Cretaceous Period... _Temperance Brennan looked around at the exotic plants filling the arboretum and couldn't help but feel like she'd stepped back into time. The gardens were well tended and the city had done a wonderful job of theming different areas to resemble either a desert climate or like the area she was in, a jungle. The garden had a truly primeval feel to it, and even though she knew that there were people all over the place, she couldn't help but feel alone. She shivered at the low tone coming from speakers nearby. A dinosaur display had been set up, and the low, vibrating tone coursing over her body was supposed to be the call of one of the extinct creatures.

Distantly she heard the distinct 'Kay-awh' of peacocks, and a shiver ran down her spine. In the environment she was in, the sound seemed amplified, and suddenly, on the trail ahead of her, one found its way through the trees. _You get your first look at this "six foot turkey" as you enter a clearing. He moves like a bird, lightly, bobbing his head. And you keep still because you think that maybe his visual acuity is based on movement like T-Rex - he'll lose you if you don't move. But no, not Velociraptor. You stare at him, and he just stares right back. _

The peacock remained still on the trail ahead of her, and she held her breath, not wanting to startle the beautiful bird. It let out its mournful cry startling the forensic anthropologist. Where's Booth, she thought as she continued to watch the bird, the vibrant blue of his feathers shining even in the shaded trails of the garden. He and Parker should see this. _And that's when the attack comes. Not from the front, but from the side, from the other two 'raptors you didn't even know were there. _

Temperance let out a shriek when she felt hands at her waist, followed by giggling. The peacock startled and darted off into the thick of trees, disappearing from view as she whirled around on her attacker. _Because Velociraptor's a pack hunter, you see, he uses coordinated attack patterns and he is out in force today. _

"Booth, what the hell is wrong with you," she shouted and smacked her partner on the chest. He pretended to look injured, rubbing at the spot as Parker laughed and bounced up and down by Brennan's side.

"Did we scare you Bones?" There was a twinkle in the seven year-old's eyes as she turned her attention on him. The boy was too much like his father, Brennan thought. He's taking way too much pleasure in this.

"Yes you did, and I don't exactly appreciate it." Despite her earlier grousing, she slipped her hand into Booth's and squeezed as the trio continued on the trail, Parker occasionally running up ahead to look at an unusual plant or to give peanuts to the squirrels that were begging along the trail.

"Are you having fun," Booth asked as they continued along after Parker. Temperance glanced over at him and smiled.

"You know, I really am." Seeley let go of her hand and slung his arm over her shoulders, drawing her in closer to his side. She leaned in as they ambled down the shaded pathway, dappled light peering through the hammock overhead. They watched the little boy ahead of them, fully absorbed in the scenery. He bent down with his hands on his knees, keenly observing a brilliant orange dragonfly as it paused on a white orchid, a splash of magenta coloring the inside of the vase-like flower. Brennan stopped too, the corners of her mouth curling upward as she observed the child, so completely lost in such simple wonder.

_And he slashes at you with this... a six-inch retractable claw, like a razor, on the middle toe_. She felt Booth's fingers tug lightly at the bend in her side, pulling her into a small break in the trees lining the edge of the pathway. The muscles in her side recoiled sensitively under his guiding touch, and when they were face to face between the banana trees, barely absconded from view behind the flapping elephant ears, she knew from the flash in his eyes that he understood just how sensitive that particular part of her body was.

"Ticklish?" he asked in a low, rumbling way that she could feel in her chest. His fingers traced up and down her figure, just barely grazing her sides and sending a crawling shudder up her back. Her shoulders scrunched up towards her neck as she leaned back into the scratchy tree behind her, tilting her chin up slightly.

"You know I am," she responded, trying very hard not to unleash the giggle that welled up in her as she squirmed under his touch. His cheeks split into a wide grin as he tilted his head slightly and brought his face nearer to hers._ He doesn't bother to bite your jugular like a lion, say... no no. _Booth met Temperance for a kiss, their lips barely brushing as he slid a hand along the column of her throat before trailing it down farther. _He slashes at you here... or here... or maybe across the belly, spilling your intestines._ Slipping his fingers down her side, he paused along her ribcage, his fingertips brushing the sensitive areas there, making her squirm before he moved on, eventually resting his hands around her waist.

She never got tired of this—the sneaking, the kissing, the touching—no matter how many times he pulled her aside in public places to quench some primal thirst he couldn't put off until they were behind closed doors. It never got old. She reciprocated his affection, hoping in some more cultivated part of her mind that they weren't too obnoxiously visible, and deepened the kiss, losing herself somewhere in the taste of him. He pressed into her and she felt something turn, something in him becominghungry_… The point is... you are alive when they start to eat you. _

Alive is what she felt as her insides tightened, responding to his aggressiveness as he pulled her closer to him. Her hands gripped his hair, keeping him in place as they battled for dominance of the kiss. Everything was lost to them except each other as they edged closer to inhibition until the jab of something sharp caught them both in the ribs.

They both jumped and turned to see a short, balding man in a grimy blue jumpsuit standing just beyond the sago palm fronds, wielding a trash pick-upper in his hand like a spear. He gave them a sour look as he shook his head, crossing his arms over his round midsection.

"Hey, try an' show a little respect, wouldya?" he grunted. "This is a family park. There're kids here. Yeesh…" He stomped off, leaving the two shame-faced sneaks in his wake. Just as they were disengaging from each other's arms, another hapless intruder stumbled upon their nook in the trees.

"Dad, dad, look, I'm a… aw, come on," Parker said, seeing the two adults precariously close to one another and throwing his hands up in the air. "Do you always have to do that?" Brennan snorted as Booth's face flushed an admirable shade of red. Parker huffed off, and Brennan finally unleashed the laughter that was welling up in her chest.

"Looks like you have one unhappy little dinosaur," she observed as Booth rubbed the back of his neck, pushing back a sago frond to let her out onto the main path.

"Yeah, and the Parkeraptor let's you know it too." Brennan arched a brow at Booth as she tangled her fingers back with his and they continued along the path.

"Parkeraptor?"

"Yeah, way more intimidating than the velociraptor any day, mostly because he likes to make sneak attacks in the middle of the night."

"Ah. Well in that case I'll be sure to remind you to lock the bedroom door tonight." Both adults turned at the sound of the disgusted "Ugh" from the boy in front of them and laughed. Yup, there would definitely be a need to watch out for a sneak attack from a certain mini Booth. _So you know... try to show a little respect._


End file.
